1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to golf clubs, and in particular, to golf club putters having a putter head which utilizes an arcuate surface across the face of the putter head to facilitate the striking of the golf ball by the golfer during play on the putting surface.
2. Description of Related Art
The putting stroke by a golfer involves striking the spherical golf ball with a golf club commonly referred to as a putter, to cause the golf ball to roll over the putting surface with more accuracy than the other golf clubs. While golfers use various putting techniques to cause the ball to move accurately over the putting surface, they also employ many types of golf club putters with a myriad of putter head designs to facilitate the putting technique. The putter head of any golf putter is usually connected directly to a shaft which terminates in a handle which is held in the hands of the golfer. In some designs, the putter head is connected to a hosel which then is connected to the shaft of the putter which ultimately terminates in the handle. The materials and compositions of the putter head are chosen to give a putter a different feel or sensation when the golfer strikes the golf ball at the face of the putter head. Older putter heads were made of wood and were connected to the putter handle by means of a wooden shaft. The modern day putter heads are made of metal or metal and plastic compositions and invariably the face of the putter head is flat. Accordingly, many of the prior art putter head designs do not necessarily employ the best design features to help the golfer impart the proper feel and accuracy when striking the spherical golf ball with the flat face of the putter head.
Bearing in mind the deficiencies of the prior art putter designs, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new putter head design which employs an arcuate putter face to help the golfer control the force and accuracy imparted to the golf ball during the putting stroke.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification which follows.
The above and other objects, which will be apparent to those skilled in art, are achieved in the present invention by providing a golf putter head design which employs an arcuate putter face which conforms substantially to the spherical shape of the golf ball surface. In one embodiment of the invention, the arcuate face of the putter head is the sole surface which contacts the golf ball to propel the same on the path directed by the golfer. In other embodiments of the present invention, the putter head design includes an arcuate face portion which intersects and cooperates with a notched portion which contact the golf ball to propel the same on the path directed by the golfer.